A blog for those who desire a deeper walk with Jesus

IS IT TOO LATE FOR THE UNITED STATES?

2 Kings 22-23 and 2 Chronicles 34-35 record King Josiah’s reign in Judah. His grandfather, Manasseh, who was the longest reigning and the most wicked king in the history of Israel, had led Judah into the depths of depravity that are indeed shocking. Although he repented and attempted to do good in the last six years of his reign, it was too late. In the previous 49 years his sin was so horrendously evil that he had crossed the line and assured Israel of God’s righteous judgment. Manasseh’s son, Amon, even though his reign was only two years, continued the evil ways of his father.

It is into this context that Amon’s son (and Manasseh’s grandson) son, Josiah took the throne when he was only eight years old. At the age of sixteen he began to seek after God, and when he was twenty he initiated incredible reforms in Judah.

During this time the Book of the Law was found in the Temple. When it was read to Josiah, he immediately realized the horrible state of apostasy of the nation and fell into deep repentance over their sin. He sought God’s direction on what to do and, through the prophetess Huldah, God told him that it was too late for Judah. His grandfather, Manasseh, had crossed the line of wickedness and the sins of the nation were so grievous that His righteous judgment was coming (by way of Babylonian take over, destruction of Jerusalem, and exile of the people). However, God said that, since Josiah humbled himself before Him and repented from his heart, he would not experience this judgment, but would have peace in his days. Josiah then led one of the most powerful revivals the world has ever seen.

This story brings my thoughts to the current condition of America. We have moved far from God, and are steeped in gross sin. Many evangelical leaders are crying out for God to have mercy on our nation, but, I wonder, have we crossed the line? Like Judah, is it too late for the United States to avoid God’s righteous judgment?

The sins of our nation are great. Consider:

Over 58 million babies have been slaughtered in their mother’s womb since the Roe v Wade decision in 1973.

Recently, hundreds of thousands of women marched around the country to retain the “right” to kill their own babies.

Assisted suicide is now legal in six states.

Recreational use of marijuana (which is a gateway to harder drugs) is legal in seven states and Washington D.C.

The Supreme Court has made gay marriage legal in the country

Eighteen states have “bathroom bills” (males can use female bathrooms and locker rooms if they feel female, and females can use male facilities if they feel male), and many more states have pending legislation regarding this matter.

Gay pride parades are celebrated by society.

The “hook up” generation, which sees sex as just another type of recreation to be engaged in whenever one feels the desire and with whoever is available at the time, is now the norm

Pornography literally floods the internet.

God’s moral absolute truth is scoffed at and has been replaced by relativism and political correctness.

Biblical Christianity is considered by some to be a threat to the progress of humanity and has been equated to terrorism.

Organizations like the ACLU and the Freedom From Religion Foundation spend vast amounts of money and energy attempting to oust God from society.

And this is just some of the evil that abounds today. I’m definitely not a prophet, but it sure seems like we have crossed the line and reached the point of no return. As it was during the reign of Manasseh, our wicked culture has thumbed its nose at God and defiantly, arrogantly, and brazenly trampled on His majesty, holiness, righteousness, and sovereignty. And the consequences will be terrifying. Just look at what happened to Israel.

As I study eschatology (end times) from Scripture, I never see a reference to any nation from the west. Evidently, the western world, including the United States, deteriorates into oblivion. Nations crumble from within, and it appears that America is well on its way. If He brought His righteous judgment on Israel, His covenant nation, we dare not smugly think that He won’t bring His righteous judgment on the United States. I believe that the terrorist attacks of 9-11 were a wake up call from God to our country. However, we failed to respond to His call. Is God’s judgment on our blasphemous nation looming on the horizon? Have we reached the point of no return?

If so, church, what do we do? Just ignore the signs? Just sit back and wait for Jesus to come back and take us home? Definitely not! We need to be like Josiah, who, even though he knew God’s judgment was coming, continued to work towards bringing a final revival in the hearts of the people of Judah. Likewise, we need to keep praying, keep preaching, keep witnessing, and keep serving for His glory. Who knows, perhaps He will send an end times revival, a Third Great Awakening, before the hammer of His judgment falls.

Church, its time for us, God’s people to follow Josiah’s example and fall on our faces in deep humility and repentance before our holy God. We need to repent of our own sins and the sins of our nation. The order here is absolutely crucial – we must first repent of our own sins. You see, my friends, the church of Jesus, the bride of Christ, has played the harlot with the world. We have gone after other “lovers” – popularity, glitz and glamour, fancy buildings, “coolness”, and pragmatism. We have watered down the gospel into a bloodless and crossless “accept Jesus in your heart” transaction, and have made discipleship an easy, breezy journey that is centered on personal happiness and worldly success. We have replaced the Holy Spirit with programs and marketing gimmicks, holiness with happiness, and the focus on Jesus with the focus on “self”. Bottom line – the church has lost its power because its lost its first Love.

In Ezekiel 9:5-6, God, after having an angel put a mark on those in Israel who faithfully followed Him, is dispatching His angels to bring judgment on those without the mark, and He says these chilling words: “But to the others He said in my hearing, ‘Go through the city after him and strike; do not let your eye have pity, and do not spare. Utterly slay old men, young men, maidens, little children, and women, but do not touch any man on whom is the mark; and you shall start from My sanctuary‘. So they started with the elders who were before the temple”.

The judgment was going to begin in the Temple, where His holiness and majesty should have been reverenced. I wonder, is God going to begin His judgment on the United States with His church? Will His righteous judgment come because of our lukewarmness, worldliness, and worship of “self”? Oh, my friends, we need to repent! Just think, if every true believer in Jesus would humble themselves and cry out to God in repentance for their sins and the sins of our nation, God could do incredible things in these last days through a humble, surrendered, sold out church? This is our only hope.

Is it too late? Maybe. Maybe not. But regardless of what He has planned, what are you doing to bring one last revival?